Internet of Thingies

The ESP8266 took the world by storm by offering a powerful, cheap controller with built-in WiFi, ample storage and processing, digital and analog input/outputs, and open programmability! This let enthusiasts build some complex projects from cheap and available components, from the Scooterputer to drone control systems to nursery monitors.

I intended to take a step forward and introduce the ESP32, a newer generation chip from Espressif Systems that builds on the features of the ESP 8266.  The ESP32 adds more memory, storage, faster processing, better energy management, built-in sensors for touch and temperature, bluetooth, CAN bus, a MAC address (yay Ethernet!), and basically more of everything.

On top of that, a mad inventor on Hackaday.io built a board that can be powered by PoE and has had a successful crowd funding campaign.  This allows the ESP32 to live in a PoE supported network and perform utility workloads to enhance network monitoring and environmental sensing.  

You will walk away from this presentation excited to build your own Thingie and improve the world!